Gold Coast young gun Zane Goddard’s historic motorsport move

HE’S an aspiring architect but constructing a polished Supercars career remains the aim for this rising Gold Coast driver.

HE’S an aspiring architect but constructing a polished Supercars career remains the aim for rising Gold Coast driver Zane Goddard.

The 20-year-old last week took another step towards his motorsport goal when he joined fellow young gun Jake Kostecki in a remodelled Matt Stone Racing line-up for 2020.

In an historic move, MSR will split an entry between two drivers with Goddard and Kostecki to run selected single events before teaming up for the 2020 enduros.

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MSR has dubbed the initiative “SuperLite” with Super2 driver Goddard to be the first of the duo to race the No.34 entry at the season-opening Superloop Adelaide 500.

The Southport School product Goddard will also run the entry at the Symmons Plains, Pukekohe, Winton and Sydney Motorsport Park rounds.

Kostecki – who made his championship debut alongside cousin Brodie in an enduro wildcard – will drive at Albert Park, Perth, Townsville, Darwin and Sandown.

Gold Coast motorsport young gun Zane Goddard with his father Bayden. Picture Mike Batterham

Regardless of the breakdown it represents another juddering move for the boy who only took up karting at age nine because of a friend’s insistence.

“Next thing we are going to go karting tracks all around Australia,” Goddard’s dad Bayden said.

Goddard, who spent a year racing open wheelers in Europe at 15 before his father’s throat cancer scare hastened his return home, is already following in the footsteps of his dad in his studies.

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“I’m probably the only architect in the world with a kid in motorsport,” Bayden joked.

“He’s spent more than half his life getting ready for this (opportunity with MSR).

“It’s hard to break in (to Supercars) because a lot of the senior guys have been there for quite a while.

“Like every kid he wanted to do Formula 1 but we don’t have $40 million.

“And this will be good for him because if they make a mistake like young drivers do, well at least they are learning.”

Goddard, who finished fourth in the 2019 Super2 standings, said he can’t wait.

“To be given the opportunity at 20 years old, after two great seasons in Super2, to fulfil my dream of racing in main game is mind blowing,” he said.

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“I can’t thank Matt Stone and the team at MSR enough for believing in me, plus my sponsors and my parents who have been such a strong guiding influence in my life and racing so far.”

Last week, it was confirmed Garry Jacobson will move from the downsizing Kelly Racing operation to be the lead driver at MSR, with Todd Hazelwood shifting across to Brad Jones Racing.